Wednesday- day trip

Today was the day to take care of my 'gray'. I posted the pictures taken on Monday and saw that I was as gray as my older brother who is 9 years older than me. With the wind it really showed bad.  My niece, my hairdresser lives an hour away and I haven't been able to get there until today.  I stopped and got her a "Cookie Tree" Sandwich because she works too hard some days. She likes their Onion Dill bread. When I go to get my hair done she works in the walk-ins between and doesn't stop to eat.  Today I got there early so I could put the sandwich in her fridge.  She was ahead of schedule and said for me to come back in half an hour and I could get my hair done earlier.  Yahoo!  This is the pile that she cut off- not long enough to donate to "Locks of Love" this time.

During the half hour I went to the Goodwill to see if I could get some 'cheap' shirts.  Paul mentioned he needed more short sleeved shirts and he doesn't mind if they are from a Thrift store for 'work' shirts. The 1/2 price Tag color was 'blue' so I went back to see how many I could find.  There was an employee taking shirts off hangers when I got to the rack.  I asked him if he was taking all the blue tagged shirts off before I could buy them?  He said he was because they had been there the longest.  That explains why the 1/2 price sale tagged stuff I'm looking for isn't there when I go.   I asked him if I could shop his cart then.  He got called away and told me I could.  I found quite a few in that cart and picked up a few that weren't on sale 1/2 price also.  I didn't really look at sizes, I mostly just checked to see that they were 100% cotton. The shirts with collars that are worn out will go into my cut-up pile.  See that bright yellow one- that will be in my Bow-tie challenge.

Tomorrow is the last day of the month and deadline for several things so the sewing machine pedal will be to the metal all day...
Still no Blackout Bingo, I have one more chance to get the last 7 squares.
I had to go back and found a couple of the squares had been called and I didn't have a button on them yet. I have a diagonal and #2 row Horizontal Bingo that don't count.  I asked if there was an "O" for having the squares all around the outside.  Nope- but I don't have that either.

2012 Memorial Day

MEMORIAL DAY

#1 Gordon, Selwyn, Roma and Me @ Moses Lake Cemetary- #2 LeeAnn, Me, Selwyn and Roma

Derlyn and Sheila brought a bunch of flowers on Saturday. I added Peonies, Roses and Iris (flags) and the little Flag to the bouquet on Dad and Mom's Grave.  Paul brought a screwdriver that I used to make a hole in the grass to place the Peony above Sarah's (Dad's 2nd wife) headstone.

 Paul by Baby Joel's Grave in Othello

Zora and Gordon sat in their car to watch the kids playing on the pond. Paul's cousin Wayne came to visit for the day.

Riding in the paddleboat

 Stephanie on the Zipline and  her splashdown.

Jose', Mary W, Wayne, Chelsea, George and Paul by G & Z car.

Jed pulls Jose' and Lisa's oldest son on the Zipline.

It was good to make the pilgrimage again this year. Sorry that more of the family couldn't make it. The weather was nice with just a little breeze. The breeze made the flags all wave!  Thanks to Jed and Diana having us come for the Picnic lunch and playtime on the Pond.

Design Wall Monday, May 28, 2012

In March Jan showed us her "Bargello with a Twist" Quilt at Guild made from Maggie Ball's Book. She asked for a show of hands to see how many wanted to have a sew-in class to make one.  I signed-up and then forgot to look on my Calendar to see when it was.  It was a good thing she sent a reminder e-mail out.  There was only 3-4 other places that I could have been on a Saturday in May.  Maggie Ball came and did a Workshop for our guild last year, I wasn't interested in the quilt they made that time.  Having never made a Bargello-type quilt- this time I thought I'd try and learn something new along with making a fun quilt with some fabrics I won this year on the Blue Elephant Stitches Blog.

The fabrics a called "BRRRR", made by Robert Kaufman.  Fabrics I wouldn't normally use or even have in my STASH. They were all from the line so I knew they would go together and I only had to add the White and the RED to make it pop. Jan gave us a while to arrange and decide what order to place the fabrics to make our blocks. We did a sample layout sheet first, then it was time to cut. The first pictures shows my strips all laid out, then sewn into the ABCD sections for each of the 16 blocks to make a small version of this quilt.

I took a piece of flannel and clipped it to the blinds on the window.  It was just the right size to hold my 16 blocks.  There is a page of 21 variations using 16 blocks in the book.  I liked this one that looked like 'hearts'.  I put it up, stood back clicked the picture and then saw that I needed to turn the bottom 8 blocks to make it the same as the layout shown in the book.  With the window behind, I think it looks like stained glass. This technique recommends pressing all the seams OPEN.  That is not the normal method of pressing Quilt Blocks.

It's only the 'center' but TA-DA... Here it is.

 I showed it to Paul when I got home and Paul said, "You sewed all day and that is all you made?"
I had to admit we played a lot of the time with the blocks of the other 7 quilters who were there.  Jan challenged us to bring our finished tops to the next guild Meeting and have it quilted when Maggie Ball comes back to Walla Walla as the Featured Quilter at the Quilt festival in the future.  That gives us plenty of time, right?

 I'm linking it to Judy L's DWM  HERE  and I think this counts as my May New-FO that I will Link to the last day of MAY as well.

Nice to be Ahead- for NOW

 I have finished all of the Farmer's Wife Blocks for June (left) and July (right).
 There are some Teeny, Tiny HST's in a couple of them. June Blocks L-R are Basket, Noon and Light, Bouquet, Rosebud, End of Day, Tulip, Friendship, Waste Not, Windows.  July Blocks L-R are Darting Birds, Star Gardener, Morning, Temperance Tree, Pine Tree, W.C.T.U (Women's Christian Temperance Union), Postage Stamp, Weathervane, Sawtooth, Wild Goose Chase.
These were fun Blocks especially the Postage Stamp which is 36 1-1/2" squares. I used 36 different fabrics for mine.  I see that I could have used a bit more contrast in some of these blocks. My total for Farmer's Wife is  74.


While I was cutting tiny HST's for these blocks. I thought that the same Marti Michell Templates would work for three of the SBS blocks on my list. The same pieces in the Kansas Troubles Block and Crows Foot at in the Farmer's Wife Darting Birds Block. They are just arranged and turned around a bit.  Fabric selection on the Crows Foot was extra fun.  Lynn had the Rooster, Chicken Wire and Green Dot fabrics so I put them together.  Rooster's 'crow' and roosters are male Chickens, so it fit. The third SBS Block is Lady of the Lake, just put together different from the Sawtooth Farmer's Wife Block. Total SBS is 68.

I had to walk in the yard and see if it was almost time for my Strawberries to be picked. They are loaded with berries and I should have some by Memorial Day as is the Normal time- with our delayed Spring I wasn't sure we would have our garden stuff at the usual time.  I had hoped they wouldn't be needing to be picked while I was visiting in Idaho.  Paul has planted Peas and Carrots in the flower beds by my roses this year.  Remember Forrest Gump telling Jenny about them being like "Peas and Carrots"?

 I get to go to the place where our Quilt Guild Meets for a Sew-in, all Day, this Saturday.  I'll have something "NEW" to show on Monday's Design Wall... Not that I really NEED to have a NEW thing to Show.  I just signed up to support the Guild and  learn a different quilt technique.  Hope it turns out good.

Going for Blackout...BINGO

 I have had several days of no-buttons to sew on my BINGO quilt. Very SAD about that.  They must be saving them all for the last week so I can get the BLACKOUT!  Sharon of VROOMANS QUILTS warned me not to quit, she did one year and missed winning the BIG PRIZE.

I almost have a vertical Bingo on the 4th row.  I just need a 'Ghost' to be called.  Only a week and a day left to get more buttons on here.  Many of the Bingo's have been claimed and prizes awarded.


The callers are HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE.  

Nominations and Viewer's Choice Votes, please

Now is the time to Nominate our Blogger's Festival Quilts HERE.  There are multiple categories to choose from.

  My "Be-Ribboned"  Baby sized quilt is #312   Thanks!


You can view all of the 599 Quilts HERE and VOTE for your Viewer's Choice.  Amy Added a VOTE button to each Linky- just click where it says 'vote' under the Thumbnail of your Favorite!

Design Wall Monday- May 21, 2012

Last week was Farmer's Wife class at Thread and Bolts.  I went and cut out more of my blocks- I'm cutting out July Blocks now.  Pictured here are my May Blocks.  My total FW Blocks right now is 67.  Seeing the FW quilts at the Quilt show that didn't have all the blocks wants me to get my FW quilt done.  Many of the Facebook FW group are adding sashing and cornerstones as they go.  The SBS and other Elm Creek Quilters group on Yahoo are starting a Monthly Challenge for FW Blocks now.  I'm way ahead so won't be joining in on that Challenge.  The Top Right Corner Block ( Rainbow Flowers) gave me problems.  It wasn't all my fault though.  It is a block similar to Log Cabin, everyone know how much I don't like making those blocks, and I cut it out using the wrong Log Cabin ruler.  

 The Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Block of the week was the J-1 Sawtooth Star so I cut that one out, with help from Lynn, so I could sew it up and submit it to Lynda for the monthly drawing for a PIN from Jennifer.  I know I already have one but it's getting me to work on the SBS blocks, so it's a good thing.  This one makes 65 total made for my 30's SBS.   Funny thing I realized is I have NO 'G' row blocks made.

 This past week I've been trying to get used to being back home after a week away... Plus Blog hopping to see the many linked up over at the Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival.  Click HERE to see the Thumbnails. There are 485 linked up already.
Nominations start on Tuesday, May 22 and go until the 25th.  My quilt could be in the Baby or Applique categories, if anyone wants to nominate it... It is # 312.


This week I have pillowcases to make and deliver to these two cute grandkids who had Birthdays on Friday and Sunday.  I hope the Pillowcases bring them all "sweet dreams".  I will have to dream up something new to make for Christmas and next years Birthdays.  Christmas is only 219 days away.
The deadline for ALLIANCE "Home is Where the Quilt is" contest is June 1st.  On my calendar I have Monday the 21st as a deadline to mail my entry in.  Will it get done this week- who knows...

Here is what I have to show on my Design Wall Monday. Click HERE  for more DWM posts linked up with Judy L.

2012 Blogger's Quilt Festival

 Amy over at Amy's Creative Side is hosting the Blogger's Quilt Festival during Quilt market again this Spring. The Button is above and on my sidebar... I've participated for many years and have been trying to make the choice of which quilt to showcase.  There are changes for this year that we get to nominate each other for winning in several categories.  To view those categories click HERE.  Plus there are Random Drawings for goodies from the companies that donate prizes to the Festival.  There are over 300 Blogs linked up as I find myself typing late on the first evening of the Festival.

Linky time goes May 18th until May 21st.

You can nominate someone ( ME!!! Hint, Hint)  May  22nd-25th.

Voting is May 26th-30th.

Winners announced on June 1st.

Sooooooo...
 which quilt am I showing????

One of my 2011 McCall's Quilt Design Star Challenge Quilts of course...

 Here are the 10 fat quarters that were sent for us to use in our design.
Make that 8 of the 10, I chose not to use the Black FQ.

Pictured with my fabric choice for sashing and borders.

I was inspired by a Tile floor in the bathroom of a Quilt shop I visited during a road trip with my Sister.

I used my EQ6 to draw the original design and make the pattern.  

I'm currently working on re-making this quilt using the GO-Baby by Accuquilt that 

I received as my final sponsor gift.  It will be "GO- FRIENDLY"

Especially since my Daughter-by love; Tina has claimed it.  

I told her when she has a baby girl, we'll see. 

 I love using the English Paper-piecing method for hand applique. The center appliques looked like Asterisks to me so I called the quilt Be-Ribboned Asterisk. I sent it to be quilted by Natalia Bonner at Piece n Quilt. I requested she use the swirls in the Off white background fabric of the pinwheels somehow and feathers on the scalloped border.  I love the swirls, feathers, pebbles and all the detail she did for me. I showed this quilt in Pocatello, Idaho last week-end and shortened the name to-

"Be-Ribboned".

Thanks for stopping by my Blog to see my entry in the 2012 Bloggers Quilt Festival.

2012 Mother's Day---

In retrospective view -it was a wonderful week away!  The ending was on Mother's Day- a perfect ending.

 Tina, Brant and Derek are pictured here with me because I was in Nampa, Idaho with them at my Cousin, David's home.  Tina and I found the new Blue suit at 'Ross' in Pocatello on Saturday before we went to the Quilt Show.  The homemade corsage/pin was made by Tina and came with a sweet note.  I have to remember not to read the note first... the tears started early.  Paul was sitting in the kitchen when I came down to eat my breakfast.  He had to get up way early to drive to Idaho to go to Church with me and drive me home.  I think he missed me...he texted me several times during my week away.

These two sweet grandsons  made flower boxes at Lowe's with their father for their two grandma's.  I thought the flowers might not survive the trip home so I left it there for their mother, Tina to have.

Pictured above is a closer picture of  the pin Tina made for me.  Paul brought me some of the 'real fudge' that he arranged for all the women to receive at our home Ward in Walla Walla.

I thought the book NaDell made for me that I got early and Blogged about HERE was my gift for Mother's Day from all of them.  The book even has a current picture of my Grandson in Ohio that I haven't seen since he was 3 weeks old.  Thanks to his mother for sending them to be included. In years past Janessa has remembered to have a 'white' carnation delivered to me the week of Mother's Day.  Wearing a 'White Carnation' on Mother's Day represents that my mother is deceased.  Paul brought the package from Janessa with cute handprints of Jackson and Jacob and the card from the Ransom Family with a Family Picture.  Milton and Christen gave me a Family Picture early for Mother's Day. They know how much I love Pictures!  They used to tease me about taking pictures of pictures...

When I got home I saw that Paul had planted 'petunias' in the front walkway garden.  

I have to thank my Heavenly Father every day for the privilege of being a Mother.  I am happy to say I heard from all of them whether by phone, card, package, or FB posting.  THANKS!

Giveaway WINNER- 100 Blocks Volume 5

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:23Powered by RANDOM.ORG





The Random Generator has selected #23!  That is Melinda from Tilda's Twisted Life.  I've emailed her and am just waiting for her snail mail address so I can get her magazine sent to her.  I had to save the Drawing for today since I was out of town the past 8 days...
Thank you all for your kind comments on my "Tester Blocks" and for becoming Followers too!  I'm testing Blocks for Volume 6 right now so keep watching for the next issue to come out and another Drawing.

Design Wall Monday, May 14, 2012

I have many pictures to post from my Week away from Walla Walla.  Today I'll post some of the fun quilts I saw when we looked around some of the Antique shops in Idaho Falls.  Like Bonnie Hunter only I didn't spread them all out to take the pictures. I didn't want to disrupt the displays where they had them hanging folded  in a trunk.   I did sew a bit on the Machine at Tina's to get it running good for her.  She said it hates her.   A little TLC, oil and readjusting- it hums pretty nice.  I made part of the Pillowcase that will go back to Idaho later this month for my 3 year old grandson there. I want it to be finished with my Serger like the others. We were kept pretty busy just feeding the boys and keeping nap schedules.  And some "Shop Hopping"  in between. More about that in one of the next postings.

 The Antique shops I got to see had these old quilts pictured below.  Some were quilted well others I felt weren't quilted the way they should have been to honor the patchwork.  Four things break my heart about old quilts I see in antique shops. I won't comment on each one- ENJOY!
1- when they don't have a Label
2-the fact that they weren't wanted by family
3-when they aren't quilted to accent/honor the patchwork
4-when they are cut up to make 'cutter' quilts.

I like Samplers too.

This "New Westinghouse" machine was only $10 

After looking closer I saw that it is missing the presser foot.  Small and very heavy. I had to email this one to Bonnie H. and Janet O.   It came home with me.

The old singer below did NOT come home with me. I couldn't buy all that I saw and I didn't take pictures of all of them either, but I should have to show DH that I left a few for others.   I get frustrated by some collectors that "Hoard" featherweights and don't use them.  Bonnie Hunter uses all of her machines.  

I wanted to hold out for a "Featherweight" but I didn't see any on this trip...

 This jewel did come home with me.  I called one of the Antique shops to ask if they had any old Singers and they told me about this one. The shop was closed the first day we went looking.  It was brought to Idaho from Missouri.  Built in 1922 in Great Britain.

 Think it is worth the $60 I paid?  I'll have find someone to re-wire it.
  I saw one old Singer like this one made into a lamp and one smaller Black Singer for $10 that said it was for 'parts'. I saw 2 treadles at yard sales, and one like this in a cabinet- (it was from 1945) none of them  came home with me.

Click HERE to go see more Monday Design Wall Postings.